


Love You a Latte

by TheGreatCatsby



Category: Psycho-Pass
Genre: F/M, coffee shop AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-20 12:15:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6005506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGreatCatsby/pseuds/TheGreatCatsby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Ginoza is trying to be content with life and Kagari is a matchmaker.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love You a Latte

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's Day!

“You should set up the two annoying law students who keep coming in and bickering with each other in line.” 

Ginoza pulled his apron over his head, tied the back around his waist, and ignored Kagari, who was practically glued to his side. He knew exactly who Kagari was talking about. And even though he found the two students annoying, he didn't care. 

“If they fuck off with each other,” Kagari continued, “they won't bother us.” 

“I'm sure they'd both still come here,” Ginoza said. “Register.” 

Kagari glanced at the register. “Cutie!” 

Despite himself, Ginoza turned from the coffee machines. 

She was cute. Petite, with short brown hair, a fringe framing her face. Her eyes were bright and she smiled at Kagari, which made her one of the few pleasant customers they dealt with. 

Kagari took her order, passed it onto Ginoza, who saw her name written on the cup. “Akane.” She wanted something sweet, and he made the drink quickly, wondering if she would become a regular. 

He went to the end of the counter and called her name. It sounded nice, and when she looked up and smiled at him, and told him thank you for the drink, he felt his cheeks grow warm. Maybe it was because she seemed so genuine and undistracted, unlike most people. Maybe it was because Ginoza had just started his shift. 

“I'm on it,” Kagari said once she'd left. 

Ginoza frowned at him. “On what?” 

Kagari merely smiled. 

*

“Oi, Gino, can I get my usual?” 

Ginoza massaged his temples. “Don't call me that.” 

Kougami grinned at him from across the counter, showing all his teeth. 

“Where's your boyfriend?” Kagari asked. 

“Boyfriend.” Now Kougami sounded confused. Ginoza made his drink as fast as possible. He didn't mind Kougami, but Kougami was annoying. He seemed like the sort of person who was used to getting what he wanted. Ginoza found those people irritating. 

“Pretentious dude,” Kagari said. “Your favorite person.” 

Kougami choked, and Ginoza stifled a smile. “He is not!” 

“Are you talking about me?” 

On the inside, Ginoza wilted. He turned around and practically shoved Kougami's drink across the counter, hoping it would get him to leave, but it was too late. 

Makishima Shogo had arrived. 

“London fog,” he told Ginoza, barely sparing him a glance before looking at Kougami. “What's this about me?” 

“Not everything is about you,” Kougami said. 

“Except this kind of was,” Kagari muttered. To Ginoza he added, “please put salt in his drink.” 

Ginoza didn't because he valued his job, but it was tempting. 

“I'm afraid I'm not in the market for lovers at the moment,” Makishima said. 

“Who says that?” Kagari asked. 

“I have a perfectly satisfactory arrangement with someone,” Makishima continued. 

“How romantic,” Kagari said. 

Ginoza shoved Makishima's drink into his hands. “Have a good day.” 

Makishima did look at him this time. “Do you find this work satisfactory, or are you often filled with disappointment over having settled for something so common?” 

Makishima meant nothing to him. The words meant nothing. Makishima was just trying to antagonize him. 

But somehow, the words held meaning. 

Makishima smiled when Ginoza didn't respond. “Have a good day.” Then he was gone, and even Kougami looked concerned. 

“Gino,” he said. 

“Inventory,” Ginoza managed, before excusing himself to the back room. 

He'd already done the inventory that morning, and Kagari knew it, but thankfully, for the half hour before his shift ended, he was left alone. 

* 

Everyone had sad facts of life. Ginoza had quite a few. He tried not to let them bother him. He did a lot to keep himself working and functional. But sometimes he was reminded of how much life had kicked him in the ass, and it threw him for a loop. 

The sad facts of Ginoza's life were these: his father had left his mother when he was ten. He tried to join the police department to follow in his father's footsteps. His father died in the field. He had a mental breakdown. He was hospitalized. He left the police department. 

He was trying to put his life back together. 

The coffee shop was unexpected. Ginoza had worked a few service jobs as a teenager, but a full time barista was never a job that he considered. He loved coffee, practically lived on the stuff, but his interactions with other people were polite at best and sometimes, he could be seen as cold. But it seemed like a distracting job, like something that would force him to interact with other people, work in a team, which would be good. 

As it turned out, he had a knack for making good coffee. 

Most days, he was fine. Most days, he could take things one day at a time, accept where he was now, not let it bother him. Even though the cafe was often filled with students who had bright futures, he never compared himself to them. He'd once been a student with a bright future, but he found contentment where he was. He had a dog, he had a job. That was enough. 

Then, every once in a while, something broke through the contentment, reminding him of what he'd lost. 

He curled up on the sofa with his huskie Dime, wrapped himself in a blanket. The TV played a show that he couldn't focus on. Instead, he stared at the wall and tried not to think much at all. 

But Ginoza had never been good at not thinking. 

The week ahead loomed long and now, it seemed, miserable. 

* 

If Ginoza had a habit of thinking too much, Kagari had a knack for snapping him out of those thoughts. Usually only for a few minutes, by doing something annoying that Ginoza had to deal with in order to prevent a full on disaster, like spilling a bag of espresso beans all over the floor or burning a batch of cookies and nearly setting the oven on fire. Today, however, Kagari seemed to be thinking long term. 

It started when Akane walked into the cafe and Ginoza made her drink. As he handed it over, still half-lost in the fog of inadequacy from the previous night, she smiled at him and said, “You know, your coffee is some of the best I've ever had.” 

He blinked at her. “What?” 

She nodded. “I'm not an expert or anything but, it's really good. It makes me happy.” 

Ginoza's cheeks felt warm again. “I-I'm glad it does.” 

“I'll see you around,” she said. “Have a good day!” 

Kagari nudged Ginoza in the stomach, nearly doubling him over. “I'm gonna set you two up.” 

“Don't do that,” Ginoza said. 

“You look like you need it.” 

“Kagari-” 

“Don't worry. I got you.” 

Later that afternoon, after a mysterious lunch break disappearance, Kagari returned with a slip of paper that read, “Tsunemori Akane” and a number. 

“What is this?” Ginoza asked, taking the paper. 

Kagari grinned. “I'm a match maker and you have a date. Well, you will if you call her.” 

“She doesn't know anything about me,” Ginoza said. 

“And you don't know anything about her,” Kagari told him. “There'll be lots to talk about.” 

“I hate you.” Ginoza said.

But he was careful to put the paper where it wouldn't get lost. 

* 

Ginoza stared at the numbers. He wasn't sure if he should call. He put Akane's details into his phone. Calling her was better than sitting alone with his dog all night. He pressed the call button before he could reconsider. 

After a few rings she picked up. “Hello?” 

“Hi. Um, my colleague gave me your number. Kagari. I'm Ginoza Nobuchika. From the coffee shop.” 

Akane laughed. “Oh, yes! He tracked me down during lunch.” 

“I'm sorry about him,” Ginoza said. “Listen-” 

“I'd love to have lunch with you,” Akane said. “I'm new around here and I don't know many people. How about tomorrow?” 

“That sounds good.” 

“I'm looking forward to it.” 

Ginoza allowed himself a small smile. “Me too.” 

* 

It was hard not to notice how adorable Akane looked bundled up in a scarf and knit hat and peacoat. Ginoza banished the thoughts from his head as nonsense as he walked up to her. They'd decided to meet at a ramen place, cheap but with a good atmosphere. 

“I hope you weren't waiting long,” he said. 

She shook her head. “Let's go in?” 

He nodded, and followed her inside. 

Soon they were warm and seated, both with their hands wrapped around cups of tea. Akane talked about how she was a law student, and Ginoza wondered why so many law students ended up in their cafe. She wanted to be a defense lawyer, making sure that people would be represented well. She believed that she could make a difference in some peoples' lives, and Ginoza believed her conviction. She sounded driven as she talked, her eyes shining, her passion coming through with every word, every movement. He felt small in comparison to her, but at the same time, he felt somehow at ease. Safe, in her hands. 

He'd never met anyone like that before. 

Then she asked him what he did, and he explained briefly, haltingly, the coffee shop. How he'd originally been a police officer but had needed to leave. He didn't mention being hospitalized, not yet. But something about her demanded honesty, and he gave her what he could as they ate, as much as he was comfortable giving. She seemed to sense there was more but didn't pry. 

“I'm from a smaller town,” she said as they left. She wanted to walk him back to the cafe, despite the cold. “Everything here is so...much. There's a lot going on. All sorts of different people, new things.” 

“Overwhelming,” Ginoza said. 

Akane hummed. “No. I mean, sometimes, but mostly it's exciting. I like it. I was a bit nervous at first but now, I think I'm starting to find a home here.” 

“I like it here,” Ginoza said. Even if there were memories here that he didn't want to remember. He had to, and he tried to make sure that didn't take away from what made the city good. It was a struggle sometimes. He wondered if Akane saw the city the same way he did, or if she saw it differently. He had the feeling she saw the good in everything. He wanted to be more like that. “I'd like to show you around, if you'd be up to it.” 

Akane beamed at him. “I'd love that.” 

They arrived at the cafe, stopped outside the door. Akane turned and looked up at him. 

“Thank you,” he blurted out, “for today. I enjoyed it. I-I wasn't sure-” 

Akane moved closer, went on her tip-toes, and pressed a brief kiss to his lips. “Me too,” she said, before pulling away. “I'll see you again.” 

“Yes,” Ginoza said, breathless. He watched as she disappeared into the throngs of people on the sidewalk, ignoring Kagari waving at him through the window. That didn't matter. 

The only thing that mattered was that Akane had seen something good in him, and that somehow, her optimism was spreading in his chest, and even standing outside in the biting cold, he felt warm.


End file.
